Agreement with “The ethical guidelines on the provision and practice of advanced reproductive technology and intrauterine insemination 2023” by the Philippine Society of Reproductive Medicine using online Delphi technique

Abstract

The ethical guidelines of the National Society of Certified Fertility Specialists, the Philippine Society for Reproductive Medicine, were reviewed 5 years after its publication to determine if there was a change in the views of the current members. The 2016 guideline document was converted into 75 Delphi statements, and the level of agreement with each statement was determined after 3 rounds. One hundred twenty-six members of the national society were invited to participate. Voting was conducted using an online Google form or using a self-administered printed questionnaire. The level of agreement with each statement was measured using a 5-point Likert scale. A panel discussion of speakers in theology, law, and medical ethics, as well as stakeholders represented by an infertility patient and from the LGBTQ community, was held before the last Delphi round. The response rate for the first Delphi round was 94%, and the second and third rounds were at 98%. A consensus was achieved in 66 of the 75 Delphi statements. Statements on preimplantation genetic testing, posthumous reproduction, cryopreservation, and third-party reproduction failed to achieve consensus.